'PSL final will be held in Lahore', says Najam Sethi

LAHORE: Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board's Executive Committee, Najam Sethi said on Tuesday that the final of the Pakistan Super League will be held in Lahore as government is fully supporting PCB for this event.

"Lahore is safe venue for such an elite final and I can say one hundred percent surety that the final will take place at Gadaffi stadium and we have all the much needed backing and support of the Government in this regard," he was talking after the final of ju-jistu championship.

Najam Sethi was hopeful that the chaos arisen in the Indian Cricket Board after sacking of its top officials will soon end and the new management of the Indian board will show responsibility and commitment

to play cricket with Pakistan on bilateral basis.

"Through letters we have tried to make the Indian cricket authorities understand not to mix politics in cricket and to fulfill its international obligations to play cricket with Pakistan," he said.

The PCB official said that Australia has the added advantages of home conditions and crowd.

"The conditions in Australia are quite different than United Arab Emirates where we will playing our most of cricket and that is why our team has failed to perform to a required standard," he said adding "Pak team has not won a series in Australia during the last fourteen years but we had a white wash against Australia in UAE as such conditions match with our home conditions".

Najam Sethi said PCB wants to have supporting wickets in Pakistan but due to security concerns the foreigner curators do not want to stay in Pakistan for long time.

"We are making efforts to invite curators from Australia, South Africa, England and New Zealand to train our own curators to equip them with the modern knowledge of wicket making," he added.

"Curators job is very important throughout the world and trained people are doing it whereas in Pakistan non qualified people are doing it," said Najam Sathi to a question.

He said bidding for the sixth team of the PSL will take place next year and PCB has received a number of applications including the request of UAE in this regard.

Najam Sethi said the team management does not interfere in the selection affairs.

Answering a question, he said, the PCB has approved a grant of Rs 70 million for the betterment and promotion of club cricket and through these grant cricket activities will be generated to engage around forty thousand young cricketers to cricket.

"It is very good plan which will bring positive impact in the game at grassroots level in three years time," he added.